Much-loved neighbourhood bar Prudence was evacuated on Friday evening after a fire broke out at the back of the venue, sending black smoke billowing across North Melbourne.

According to a statement released by Melbourne Fire Brigade, around 30 firefighters responded to an emergency call just before 5pm. Police and paramedics were also on the scene.

Within five minutes of the emergency call, fire crews arrived to discover timber fittings in the large outdoor courtyard ablaze. The fire was brought under control by around 5.30pm and did not spread to the interior or the main bar.

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All staff and customers were evacuated safely and as of Friday evening no injuries have been reported.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.

On Sunday, the Prudence team posted a statement on Facebook.

"The management and staff at Prudence would like to thank everyone for their expressions of sympathy, good wishes and ongoing support, and that we hope to be able to reopen in some form in the next couple of weeks."

This article was updated on Monday October 14.